Charles Macdonald Concrete House Museum facts for kids
The Charles Macdonald Concrete House is a special two-story home in Centreville, Nova Scotia, Canada. What makes it unique? It was built entirely from strong, reinforced concrete in 1910. A local artist and factory owner named Charles Macdonald created this amazing house.
History of the Concrete House
Charles Macdonald was born on April 5, 1874, in Centreville. This was a small farming community in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. Charles learned basic carpentry skills by working in local factories. He worked in a coffin factory and a carriage factory. He also spent time as a ship's carpenter from 1898 to 1908. During a four-month trip to Brazil, Charles became very interested in the buildings there. He saw many strong, compact blockhouses made of Spanish-style concrete.
From 1908 to 1910, Charles lived in Vancouver. While there, he joined the Socialist Party of Canada. This group believed that businesses should be run in a way that benefits everyone, not just a few owners. Charles returned to Nova Scotia in 1910. He started his own company, Kentville Concrete. He ran his business based on his socialist ideas.
In 1916, Charles married Mabel Misner. He then changed his one-story concrete factory into a two-story house for them to live in. He moved the factory to a nearby street.
The inside of the house also uses a lot of concrete. The main hearth (fireplace area) is made of concrete. It has cool bas-relief paintings carved into it. The stairs and even the bathtub are also made of concrete! Outside, you can find a concrete fence. There are also concrete garden sculptures and fun concrete animals.
Charles Macdonald passed away on May 28, 1967. He left his unique concrete home to the community of Centreville. By 1995, the house needed a lot of repairs. A local history lover helped raise money to buy the house from the town. Since then, the Charles Macdonald House of Centreville Society has taken care of the property.
Today, the house is a museum that opens during certain seasons. It's free to visit! You can see Charles Macdonald's artwork there. You can also see beautiful rugs hooked by his wife, Mabel. In 1998, the Charles Macdonald Concrete House was officially named a Provincially Registered Heritage Property. This means it's an important historical site in Nova Scotia.
The Magical Faerie Cottages
During the Great Depression in the 1930s, Charles Macdonald didn't have as many customers for his concrete business. So, he started a new building project! Between 1934 and 1938, he built five concrete cottages. These were located in nearby Huntington Point, overlooking the beautiful Bay of Fundy.
These cottages were brightly painted and very whimsical. People described them as "the sort of cottages in which Snow White and her seven dwarfs might have lived." Charles and Mabel kept one cottage for themselves. They rented out the others. Charles only rented them to people he trusted. He wanted to make sure they would take good care of his special cottages.
Four of these unique cottages are still standing today. They are called the Green Cottage, the Jefferson Cottage, the Blue Cottage, and the Macdonald Cottage. Sadly, the fifth cottage, known as the Teapot Cottage, was taken down by its owners in 1982.
The Blue Cottage was also declared a Provincially Registered Heritage Property in 1998.
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